About the opportunity
The IDM-Africa Fellowship Programme provides early- and mid-career African scientists with intensive mentorship to develop an applied, policy-relevant infectious disease modelling project using their own datasets. Run by the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) at Makerere University in partnership with the University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB) and Amsterdam University Medical Center, the 12-month hybrid fellowship pairs participants with seasoned modellers and public health experts. Fellows participate in a one-month in-person placement at either ACE-Uganda in Kampala or ACE-B in Bamako, followed by 11 months of structured remote mentoring to finalize models, publish peer-reviewed papers, and create policy briefs.
Funding and benefits
- One-month intensive in-person placement at a designated African Center of Excellence host institution (ACE-Uganda or ACE-Mali)
- Eleven months of structured remote mentorship, including bi-weekly guidance sessions with experienced modellers and policy specialists
- Tailored support for data management, reproducible coding, scientific manuscript preparation, and policy communication
- Platform to publish lead-author research in an open-access journal and draft policy briefs for public health stakeholders
- Opportunities to present research progress at regional scientific conferences and the annual IDM-Africa policy translation workshop
- Formal certificate of completion upon satisfying all program reporting and deliverable requirements
Who can apply?
- Affiliated with an institution located in sub-Saharan Africa within the EDCTP Association
- Resident in, or willing to relocate to, an eligible sub-Saharan African country for the fellowship placement
- Hold a master's degree in a quantitative field (e.g., mathematics, physics, data science, statistics) or a health discipline, alongside short-term training in infectious disease modelling; doctoral students or PhD holders in these fields are also eligible
- Demonstrated hands-on experience in infectious disease modelling, including leading a substantial mathematical modelling component of a project
- Proficiency in programming languages and modelling environments such as R, Python, or MATLAB
- Commitment of 100% full-time effort during the one-month in-person placement and approximately 50% effort (4 hours/day) across the 11-month online mentorship period
- Fluency in English (for the two Uganda-based placements) or French (for the Mali-based placement)
- Not affiliated with IDM-Africa partner institutions, including IDI/Makerere University or ACE-B/USTTB
Required documents
- Current curriculum vitae (CV)
- Certified copies of academic certificates and transcripts
- Scanned copy of national ID or passport
- Two letters of recommendation from current or previous supervisors or mentors
- Statement of career goals and motivation for pursuing infectious disease modelling
- Statement selecting the preferred host site (ACE-Uganda or ACE-B Mali) and justifying the choice
- Project proposal describing the research question, modelling methods, anticipated public health relevance, and proposed data
- Policy statement detailing potential implications of the findings and strategies to promote uptake
- Official letter of commitment from the applicant's home institution guaranteeing at least 50% protected time and institutional backing
When to apply
- Applications opened on October 8, 2026
- Application deadline is October 30, 2026 at 17:00 East Africa Time
How to apply
- Visit the official Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) Careers portal
- Locate the listing titled 'IDM-Africa Fellowship Programme in Infectious Disease Modelling' (Job Code IDMA003)
- Click 'Apply' to initiate the online submission process
- Compile all requested documents into a single PDF file and upload it through the portal before the deadline
Additional information
- Three fellow positions are available: two positions based at IDI / ACE-Uganda (English-medium) and one position based at ACE-Mali / USTTB (French-medium)
- Fellows must bring their own data to parameterize and validate their proposed disease models
- Technical support inquiries regarding the application portal can be directed to systemshelp@idi.co.ug
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- Early- or mid-career African researchers with strong coding skills in R or Python who already have an existing health dataset needing advanced mathematical modelling
- Quantitative scientists looking to transition theoretical modelling skills into direct public health and policy impact across sub-Saharan Africa
- Candidates whose employing institutions are formally supportive and capable of guaranteeing 50% protected research time for 11 months
What should you think carefully about?
- Requires a full-time, 100% commitment for an on-site month in either Kampala, Uganda or Bamako, Mali, followed by a continuous 50% workload commitment while maintaining home institution duties
- The official announcement does not detail travel allowances, relocation packages, or living stipends, so applicants should verify financial terms with IDI before applying
- Applicants must already possess clean, usable data suitable for parameterizing and validating their model upon entry
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This fellowship is suited for quantitative analysts and epidemiologists aiming to establish themselves as independent research leaders. Rather than teaching basic coding from scratch, it serves as a high-intensity accelerator to turn raw datasets into high-impact publications, policy briefs, and actionable intervention models within one year.
Our take
Strongly recommended for African researchers with quantitative backgrounds and viable health datasets seeking high-level mentorship and policy translation skills. Those lacking institutional approval for 50% protected time or without prior modelling experience should look elsewhere.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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